


Companions React to Sole Getting Slapped after Turning Down Unwanted Sexual Advances

by tea_petty



Series: Collection of Companions' Reactions [17]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Bar Room Brawl, Companions, Companions React, F/F, F/M, Harassment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 03:10:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16966560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_petty/pseuds/tea_petty
Summary: When someone decides to get handsy with the Sole Survivor, the Companions decide to get a little "handsy" back.





	Companions React to Sole Getting Slapped after Turning Down Unwanted Sexual Advances

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my Tumblr; tea-petty

**Ada** :  Ada sat near Sole’s rucksack and sleeping bag, resting neatly beside the campfire.  The cozy scene unfolded amongst the crackling fire, vaguely familiar to Ada.  A hodgepodge of drifters chattered avidly; all strangers who decided to set up camp for the night. Safer as a pack of loners, than alone.  Ada watched as Sole went to the communal supply area someone had set up earlier; Sole was grabbing a pale mug; inspecting it shortly, for cleanliness Ada would guess – she knew it was a habit that her mistress had carried over from her pre-war days.  She watched as Sole smiled approvingly to herself, before reaching for a bottle of whiskey, and pouring some into the mug.

Sole watched as the liquid galubbed into her mug, sloshing over occasionally in her haste.

“Shoot,” Sole muttered to herself, shaking a few stray droplets from the hand that was not clasped around the mug handle.

“Having some trouble there?”  Sole started at the proximity of the voice.

She turned around to see a man’s face she didn’t recognize.

“Can I…help you?”  Sole’s eyebrows furrowed. Her voice was smaller than she’d liked, and he struck her as the type to steamroll over people with voices like hers.

“Well, not that you mention it…”  His toothy grin was far too confident for the innocent charade he aimed for.

“You could have a drink with me.”

Sole’s gaze flicked to where she left Ada and her stuff.

“Uh, actually I can’t. Sorry.  S-somone’s waiting for me, you know?  And –“

The man scoffed, “Nice try, but I already know that you only have that hunk of junk over there waiting for you-” he jerked his chin towards Ada “-so I thought you could use some real company.  Isn’t that nice of me?”

“Sure, right, thank you, but…no thank you.”

Sole tried to sidestep around the man, but he stepped strategically to block her path.

“C’mon, I’m a nice guy, the least you could do is say ‘yes’.”

Sole tried to step away again, her heart hammering. The words she wanted to say were on the tip of her tongue; I already said NO.  Leave me alone.

They were stuck though, just like this man seemed to be; a piece of toilet paper stubbornly clinging to the bottom of someone’s shoe.  He just wouldn’t leave.  Something strange and predatory glinted in the man’s eyes, and a hand came up to catch her wrist in a vice-like grip.  Adrenaline rushed through Sole, and without thinking her other hand came up to slap against the man’s cheek, leaving a red mark across his cheekbone.

The man was silent as something formidable passed across his face.  His mouth pressed into a thin line.  The blood roared in Sole’s ears. She didn’t even realize what happened until she felt something crack against her cheek.

Sole yelped as the force of the back of his hand across her cheek snapped her head to the side. She  probably would’ve fell if it wasn’t for his other hand anchoring her to him.  Her cheek stung and throbbed, a tender, shadow blossoming across it already.  Sole’s eyes stung and dampened quickly.

Rage rose up in her so strong she thought she might burn up to a crisp right there. The slew of poison she wanted to sputter at this hateful man caught in her throat, stuck with her scalding anger.

“Excuse me, ma’am.”

The man started, his grip bruising her wrist loosening just enough for Sole to scramble outside his grasp.  Without skipping a beat, the claw on Ada’s left appendage started spinning sinisterly. Sole imagined a drill-like claw skewering into the man’s side like he was a piece of a jackass kebab. Served hot and fresh, courtesy of Ada.  Ada apparently was thinking the same thing.  Deliberately and unwavering, she aimed it towards the man’s gut. Her mechanical steps were unrelenting as she inched closer and closer to Sole’s attacker.

“Hey! What the hell?”

He scampered out of Ada’s reach and sneered at Sole.  “Call off your attack dog.”

Sole smiled, an image of Dogmeat coming to mind.  

“Dog?  Ada is no dog.”

Sole cocked her head to the side then raised a hand to cup around her ear.  “What’s that?  I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.  Ada?  Did you hear what the man said?”

Ada continued marching ominously towards the man, who in his haste to clamber away from Ada, was doing so quite inefficiently.  He tripped and stumbled over his clumsy limbs, as they struggled to maneuver the miscellaneous debris scattered around the campsite.

“I did not ma’am, but don’t worry – it won’t matter in a few minutes.”

Sole shrugged. “Well, alright then. If you say so.”

Sole took a sip of her whiskey, her eyes trained victoriously on the man’s now disheveled form.  Ada chased him further and further away, until eventually, he was a speck on the horizon, blending in with the inky darkness of the Commonwealth night.

**Cait** : “…and then I told him where he could stick his ‘expectations’!” Cait snarked victoriously, and polished off her drink.

Sole smiled.  “Need a refill?”

Cait flashed her one of her rare, authentic, million-watt smiles. “Please.  Yer a doll, Sole.”

Sole laughed, taking her own glass and Cait’s back to the bar of the Third Rail.

Sole held up two fingers. “Two whiskies, please.”

“Comin’ right up, love.”  Whitechapel Charlie whizzed away.

Sole leaned against the counter and drummed her fingers against the top with  an easy grin on her face.  She loved going out with Cait – she was fun, and adventurous, and Sole always felt like she could let her hair down around the feisty Irishwoman.

The Third Rail was packed that night, activity buzzing as warm bodies clustered around anywhere there was space to.  Magnolia sang with more soul than usual. Between her hypnotic performance, and the atmosphere of the crowd; there was an electrifying energy in the Third Rail, that made Sole feel like anything could happen.

That’s when a man clambered clumsily over to the bar.  Sole inched away as he found a place right next to her.

“What’s a guy gotta do to get a damn drink around here?” the clearly inebriated man grumbled, looking around for, Sole assumed, Charlie.

He looked to his left, and then to his right, red eyes squinting shrewdly, before he noticed Sole.

“Well, hello,” the man drawled and took a step back to look her up and down. Mostly up. At her chest, despite her conservative winter wear.

The sickly sweet booze on his breath wafted her way.  He ran a hand through his greasy hair, before offering it to her to shake.

“Name’s Tom, and who might you be?”

Sole forced a tight, polite, smile.  “S-Sole.”

“Sole? Huh. Didn’t know there were angels with that name,” he flattered (or attempted to) with a sleazy wink.

Sole laughed nervously.

“Oh, you like that, huh?  I can make you laugh a whole lot more I bet.”  Tom leaned forward, and flashed his yellowing smile at her.

Sole leaned away as much as she was able.

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Nah sweetheart, talk is cheap. I’d rather show you.”

The arm resting atop the bar crept closer.  Sole stiffened when she felt it at her waist.  She was frozen; the look on her face was strangled, and the scream she wanted to let out would not leave her body.  Meanwhile his hand slunk down, down, down, to the curve of her ass.  Sole felt grimy and dirty, her stomach doing flips.  She wondered briefly if Tom would leave her alone if she puked on him.

Adrenaline raced through Sole, quick and electrifying.  The next thing she knew, her hand had clapped firmly against his face.  A few people from around the bar turned to watch, wide-eyed, as Tom’s entire demeanor changed.

“What the fuck was that for?” he slurred. The hand on her ass left to twist her hair tightly, holding her still.

Sole glanced at the onlookers, pleading. Begging, even. Why won’t anyone help me? Instead, they just seemed to want a show.

Embarrassed  tears welled in her eyes when Tom yanked her closer by her hair. He brought his own hand sharply across her face. Sole winced and the rage in her core rattled the bars of its’ silent prison.  Stranger’s faces gaped at her, like dead fish heads, eyes wide, jaws agape.

Then, a fist shot out from nowhere like an act of God. Tom released his grasp and crumpled onto the floor in a heap.  A scared sob tore form Sole’s throat, as she whipped around.God had fiery red hair, a smattering of freckles, and green eyes that glinted dangerously, like knives.

A bubble of space opened up around Tom’s form as Cait forced her way through and no one daring to get in her way.

“C-Cait,” Sole whimpered.

Cait turned to face Sole tenderly. “Are ye alright, love?”

“Y-Yes,” Sole whimpered. Cait gently tilted Sole’s chin up with the same hand she had used to vanquish Tom.  Cait gently caressed the skin outside the swollen area of Sole’s cheek.

“Does it hurt?”

“N-Not too badly.”

Cait smiled softly. “Good.  If you wait for our drinks at the bar, I’ll be there in a moment.”

Sole blinked wetly at Cait. “Okay,” she sniffled.

“Charlie?  Will ya keep an eye on her?”

“Won’t let her out of my sight.  C’mon poppet, I’ve got your drinks ready here. Have a sip an’ forget about that bloke.”  Charlie procured two glasses at the bar. Sole returned to the space she and Tom had been standing before.  From beside her, another patron offered their seat.

Cait turned back to glower at Tom, who had started to stir, his fingers twitching and eyes fluttering.

That’s far enough.

Cait aimed a sharp kick into his ribs. Tom groaned and shrunk inward further.

“Ya nasty rat bastard,”  she spat at him.

From the stairwell leading down to the Third Rail’s main room, Ham poked his head in.

“Someone called for me to come and take out the trash.”

“Right over here,” Charlie called from behind the bar.

Ham came over, his gaze flicking from Cait to Tom and back again.

“Erhm, which one?”

“That bloke down there.”

Ham grunted, and grabbed Tom by the neck of his shirt.  Cait stepped aside, to let Ham pass by.

“Christ, next time – you make the mess, you pick it up.”

Cait rolled her eyes. “Sure thing Ham. My bad.”

With Tom out of sight, the incident was out of mind, the scandalized spectators went back to chattering away happily.  Cait sighed and joined Sole at the bar.

“Alright darlin’, where were we?”

Sole offered a tentative smile. “You were saving a damsel in distress.”

“Oh?  Does that mean I get the girl in the end?”  Cait asked cheekily.

Sole took on a thoughtful expression, playing coy.“I suppose it does.”

Cait wrapped an arm around Sole’s waist, and planted a gentle kiss against her cheek.

“Lucky me.”

**Codsworth** : Codsworth whirred contentedly beside Sole as she sipped at the brandy ordered from the Dugout Inn.

“It’s good to ‘put our feet up’ so to speak, Mum.”

Sole set her glass down, and stretched. Her head rested against the back of the couch.

“Tell me about it, it’s been a long…well, a long couple of weeks I suppose.”  Sole cracked a half smile.

“True enough, Mum, but if I may, you’ve been handling it remarkably well.”

Sole cracked the rest of her smile. “Thanks Codsworth.”

Despite everything, Sole felt…lucky.  Maybe it was the warmth of the alcohol as it spread through her system. Despite all that happened, she was alive, she was unwinding with a nice drink in her hand, and she…wasn’t alone.  Codsworth, familiar, loyal Codsworth was still at her side.  She hadn’t lost all her family.  This hopeful optimism made Sole feel like things could only go up from here.

Oh, but was she wrong.  A man who looked to be about Sole’s age plopped down on the couch next to her and scooched in quite close for someone Sole didn’t know from Atom.  Sole could feel his body heat radiating out from the thin material of his clothes, his thigh, the length of his arm, and his shoulder all pressed snuggly against hers.

“I beg your pardon?”  Sole shot a nervous side glance to the man.

“Oh?  Hey there.  Just thought you could use some company.”  The man grinned.

This man was handsome; all blonde hair, and cheekbones.  Sole shifted away from him nervously. Aman like that wasn’t used to being told ‘no’.

“I’m good. I’ve got my friend here,”  Sole said lamely, looking to Codsworth.

“Aw, c’mon sweetheart. Don’t be like that.” The man flicked a thick tendril of hair out of his face, before sticking his hand out for her to shake.  “I’m Todd.”

Sole tentatively accepted his hand. “Hi Todd.  No offense, but I don’t make it a habit of…hanging out with men I’ve just met.”

“But you know me now, don’t you?  I told you, I’m Todd.”  He smiled a dangerous smile, and Sole felt like her insides were writhing around in her, like snakes.  Her palms grew clammy.

“Excuse me young sir, but this lady has told you she’s not interested, so kindly move along!”  Codsworth scolded Todd.

Todd ignored Codsworth’s indignant chidings and slung an arm across Sole’s shoulders.

“What do you say you and I get out of here?”

Sole made a face. “Really, no thank you.”

She shrugged his arm off, and irritation flashed across his face.  Todd moved in face first, so that he was nose to nose with Sole.

“Trust me, you won’t regret it.”  He murmured huskily, before wrapping an arm around her and crushing his mouth against hers.

His lips worked fervently at hers, and Sole could only curl them in response, disgusted at the feeling of the unwanted touch. He tasted sour and reeked of booze.  Sole reached two hands up and shoved roughly at his chest to no avail.  This heavy, deaf resistance only flooded her with panic, sharp and demanding.  Sole reached a hand up and swung it at Todd’s face, palm open.

Todd jerked his head back, anger bright and unmistakable contorted his features before his own hand catapulted towards Sole’s face, landing a harsh blow across her face.  Sole barely had time to register the anger and hurt that mingled in her throat, as a whimper bubbled up out of her, before Codsworth had forced himself into the tight space between the coffee table and the couch Sole and Todd were on.

“Absolutely not!  Mum and I have been more than gracious about this. But this has been quite enough.”

Sole watched with wide eyes, tears brimming over the edge, as Codsworth raised a mechanical arm, with several blades fanned out.  Both Sole and Todd had their eyes trained on the metal as it shined in the dim bar lighting.

The blades started rotating into a deadly propeller.  Todd paled and shrunk into the couch.

“Now, really young man, off you go.”

Todd all but flung himself over the couch before staggering away, only to meet an angry Vadim, with his hands on his hips.

“You think I don’t see you harass my customers?  This lady is nicer than I am; she let’s you go, so now I will to.  You can go out.  Leave.”

Todd swallowed nervously, frozen.

“Go and I will not let mechanical man make you into pljeskavica.”

Todd hesitated a moment longer before scrambling hastily to his feet and high tailing it out the door.  Vadim shook his head disgustedly.

“No vermin in my bar.”

Sole turned to Codsworth. “Thank you,” she murmured.

Codsworth tsked. “Of course Mum, but…are you alright?”

Sole smiled. “Thanks to you, I am.”

She made a face.

“I didn’t think you were the type to bar brawl.”

“I’m not! A gentleman doesn’t start fights,” Codsworth declared indignantly, “…but they sure can finish them.”

**Curie** :  Sole stood before well used chemistry station beneath the overhang of her house in Sanctuary.  Several colorful beakers full of chemicals as harmless as peroxide to dangerous hydrochloric acid sat on the chipped counter. Not the best organization, if Sole was being completely honest.  Sole’s gaze flicked down to the clipboard in her hands, her chicken scratch scrawling out the chemical formulas and the amount of each listed in grams.  Sole’s eyebrows furrowed, as she studied the list.  This couldn’t be right…and yet…she couldn’t place why it wasn’t quite right.   

“Did you figure eet out?”  Curie asked from Sole’s right.

“Not yet,” Sole murmured, deep in thought.

Curie’s perturbed expression matched Sole’s.

“Hmm, per’aps zhere is somesing we are missing.  I ‘ave a book zhat might ‘elp inside – I’ll go get eet.”

Sole nodded as Curie disappeared inside the house.  When Sole knew she was no longer alone, she had assumed Curie had come back. After all, it wasn’t a long trip or anything.  The hairs on the back of her neck prickled up when it was instead a man’s voice that called out to her.

“So…chemistry, huh?”

Sole startled, and took a few steps away from the voice, shifting so that the front of her body was facing towards it – almost instinctively.

“Uh, yeah.”

The man had a head on her, height wise, and his body was packed with the standard muscle the Commonwealth chiseled into most.  Survival did wonders for keeping in shape.  He was unshaven, but trimmed, his facial hair scruffy. This man wasn’t handsome. He was, well, hot..  Good looking; but a risk.  Sole kept her guard up.  The man nodded and stepped closer running a finger along the chipped edge of the table; feigning interest.  She pretended he wasn’t there and got back to work.

“Yeah, I can see it.”

“See what?”  Sole didn’t look up from the clipboard.

“Chemistry.”

Sole raised her eyebrows. “You can see…chemistry?”

The man rolled his eyes, and raised a hand to his forehead with exaggerated shock.  The gesture was tacky, like costume jewelry.  Sole was not impressed.

“Oh!  My bad, I meant our chemistry.”  The man grinned and sauntered closer to Sole, sticking out his hand.

“The name’s Tyler.”

Sole swallowed nervously, and left his hand. “Erhm, nice to…uh, meet you.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Tyler’s toothy grin  lost some of it’s gusto.  Sole was hoping she could crush his hope just enough that he would leave.

“Man, you sure are playing hard to get.”  Tyler circled behind her and disappeared.

Sole tried not to shift uneasily.“I’m not playing, I’m working.”

Tyler let out a low whistle.“See?  That’s what I’m talking about, so why don’t I just make this easier on both of us…”

From Sole’s peripheral vision, two strong limbs snaked around her. Sole whipped around, only to find herself face to chest with Tyler, as he caged her to the chemistry station.  Panic welled in Sole, strong and fresh.  She groped blindly behind her searching for anything that might help. Her fingers found the cool, smooth glass of a beaker, and as Tyler encroached on her, she brought the receptacle up and tossed it his way.  The clear liquid spilled over him, and a pained groan left him as he stumbled backwards, clutching his hands to his face, which was now deeply flushed with irritation.

“Ah! What the hell is this?”

“Oh!”  Curie suddenly appeared in the doorway, dropping the books in her arms.

She raced inside again, and returned with a pitcher of ice water.  Sole was already at Tyler’s side,  frantically dabbing a rag she had found on the counter against his face.

“I-I’m so sorry. You startled me and I…I just reacted without thinking I –“

Sole tried to gently wipe at the inflamed blotches on his face, when suddenly Tyler’s hand snapped out, and struck her across the face.  Sole stumbled onto her backside, fingers shielding her wounded cheek.

Curie’s face morphed into something Sole didn’t recognize; but it could’ve been the tears that blurred her vision.  The synth left the pitcher next to Tyler.

“Monsieur, wash out your eyes with zhe water.”  Her voice was cold.

Curie knelt beside Sole, and gently tugged her wrist away from her face.

“Are you okay, cherie?”

Sole blinked wetly, trying not gather herself. “Y-yeah, it shocked me more than anything.”

Curie inspected the swollen area on Sole’s face, gently brushing the pad of her thumb against it.  Sole flinched away.

“Ssh,” Curie soothed, scrutinizing Sole’s face with her chin firmly grasped in her hand

“Eet eez definitely bruised, but nothing eez broken.”

“She’s fine!  I’m the one who’s injured!”  Tyler wailed from a few feet away, a large wet patch on his shirt from his clumsy attempt to rinse his eyes out.  His gaze was watery and red, his skin patchy as a rash broke out.  His eyebrows furrowed, and Sole had to force herself to look away; he looked like a monster.

Curie sighed, unsuccessful in masking her irritation.

“You’re fine.  Eet wasn’t a strong base.”

Tyler moaned. “I can’t feel my legs.”

“What a shame. I was ‘oping you’d be able to leave by now.”  Curie was cold, and Sole took her hand between her own warmed ones.

“My love, I believe you will be fine too.”

Curie raised a finger to gently tap at Sole’s nose, who wrinkled it in response.

“Yeah, me too.”  A small smile played at Sole’s lips.

**Danse** :  He and Sole sat at the bar, in the mess hall of the Prydwen, Sole holding a glass that was at one point, filled with vodka, and Danse, with his own glass filled modestly with gin.  Sole hiccupped, and wobbled on her stool.

“Maybe you should slow down there, soldier.”

Sole raised her eyebrows, and tried to glower at him. However,  the drunken flush of her cheeks, and the accompanying wetness glittering in her eyes softened the effect.

“Do you have to be so formal? Now?  We’re hanging out!”

Danse cleared his throat. “I suppose you’re right—” he shot her a side glance “—I’m sorry.  I’m not used to…doing stuff like this.”

Sole pouted cutely. “-hic- I can tell.  But I’ll mentor you like you’ve been mentoring -hic- me.”

Sole nodded resolutely as she pivoted on the stool to face him fully, her eyes boring into his with such a note of seriousness, one would’ve thought they were in fact, still working.

“You can,” she hiccupped again, “ start, by calling me by my name.”

“Ah…”

“Sole.  Say it with me now.”  Sole waved her finger in a gesture reminiscent in a way a conductor would wave his baton.

“Erhm…Sole…”  Danse rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes furrowed as his cheeks reddened.  The words felt…strange in his mouth, almost too intimate.

With the way Sole beamed at him, how could he not do it again?  

Sole clapped her hands together, satisfied. “That’s it!”

“Whoa there, sounds like a party.”

An unfamiliar voice sounded from Sole’s other side.  Curiously, Sole and Danse looked over, to see a Brother neither recognized.  An Initiate probably.  Danse jerked his head up in greeting, noticing the way the Initiate ignored him, his eyes fixated on Sole.  She balked, and looked at Danse, her eyes begging him for some help.  This did not go unnoticed by the mysterious Initiate.

“C’mon sweetheart, he’s not your boyfriend, right?  You don’t need his permission.”

Danse watched as Sole struggled for word. He knew she was soft-spoken, but between the daze of the alcohol in her system, and her characteristic shyness, she couldn’t seem to string together even the most minimal reply.

“I can take the lead if that’s easier for you,”

The man gave a toothy smile that Danse didn’t trust.  His gaze followed the way the Initiate attempted to corral Sole off of her barstool.  Sole’s smaller, ineffectual hands pushed at the Initiate’s, trying to swat him away.

“C’mon darlin’, don’t fight it.”

“Stop.”

Danse shifted, ready to intervene, his eyebrows furrowed.  He didn’t like to do things for Sole. He knew it made her feel small and weak.  She had confided in him once; just because she wasn’t loud or boisterous didn’t mean she couldn’t be direct or assertive.  However, the need to keep Sole from leaving with this pushy stranger outweighed her pride.  Before he could do a thing though, Sole’s hand snapped out to slap the Initiate.

“I said ‘stop’!”  Sole wailed.

A few other patrons at the bar turned their heads at the disturbance but did nothing. Not even when the man’s own hand struck Sole back.  Shock hit Danse first; bar brawls were rare on the Prydwen, as Arthur ran a pretty tight ship.  Not to mention the loyalty that had bound most Brothers and Sisters pretty tightly together.  Obviously, this Brother hadn’t learned his manners.  Despite his normal level head, looking back, Danse could clearly recall his deliberate decision to throw the first real punch.  He stepped in front of Sole, who was favoring her cheek gingerly, her eyes brimming with tears.  The Initiate appraised Danse; Danse had height and muscle mass on him, but it was too late to back down.

“Oh, lo-“

Before he could finish his snarky comment, Danse pulled his arm back, and let it snap forward, landing a solid blow to the guy’s jaw with a crack.  Then all hell broke loose.

The Initiate staggered to the floor, cupping his jaw.  He groaned, before using the momentum of his temporary loss of balance to launch himself forward at Danse.  Danse stumbled backwards, as the smaller man tackled him, fists flying towards him in a flurry of hits; some missing, some landing.

The rest of the bar exploded into activity as several other Brothers and Sisters attempted to separate the two men.  Danse was heavy, strong, and drunk; unbridled power, whilst his opponent was fueled by his unchecked rage.  They were still in the process of being separated when Arthur Maxson loomed in the doorway.

“What the hell is going on here?”

At the sound of his voice, Danse and the Initiate sprang apart; the smaller man was favoring his jaw, a prominent bruise blooming around his right eye.  Blood dribbled from Danse’s nose, the crimson hue bringing out the red crescent carved into his lip; a result of one of the hits that had landed.

“Elder Maxson, s-sir.”

Danse haphazardly saluted him, whilst the Initiate bowed his head, half in shame, half in being unable to pry his hand from his jaw.

“You two are Brothers.  You’re supposed to have each other’s backs, so I can’t have two Brothers swinging at each other.  Not on my ship, not ever.”

Elder Maxson’s steely gaze flicked between Danse and the new recruit.

“Is that clear?”

“Yessir.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Alright then, get out of here.”  Arthur glared at the Initiate.

The smaller man appeared to be trembling; almost as if he half thought the intensity of the Elder’s gaze could melt him on the spot.  With a sharp intake of air, he clambered off, shooting one last dark look towards Danse over his shoulder.

Arthur stepped up to Danse, glancing at Sole over his shoulder briefly.

“Hmph.”

“S-Sir?”  Sole’s voice was shaky, and the wetness that pooled at her eyes, nor did the shadow across her cheek go unnoticed by him.

Arthur looked at Danse. “Did you put your weight behind it?”

“Yessir.”

Arthur nodded approvingly. “Good.”

He clapped his hand on Danse’s shoulder, jerking his chin towards the entrance of the mess hall.

“Go get cleaned up then.”

Danse nodded, “Yessir.”

Danse hobbled towards the entrance, before disappearing into a side hallway.  Arthur turned to Sole.

“Go help him.”

Something strange glimmered in Arthur’s eyes – amusement?  Sole was too inebriated to think much more of it.

“Yes sir, thank you sir.”

Arthur watched as she skittered after Danse, wobbling slightly in her intoxicated state.

“The rest of you, clean this mess up.”

“Yes sir.”

Arthur turned on his heel, heading back to his private quarters, the barest hint of a smile playing at his lips.

**Deacon** :  Sole’s fingers nervously drummed against the bar at the Third Rail with one hand, as the other worried against the cold, condensation ridden glass beer bottle.

“Another drink?”  Whitechapel Charlie called over, as he worked a dishrag along the inside of a shot glass.

“No, no, this is fine for now,” Sole replied edgily.

“Alright, let me know if anything changes.”

“Sure thing.”

Seldom did Sole go drinking by herself; sometimes it’d be her and Piper getting the “creative juices flowing”, as the booze did too.  Other times, it was a wild night out with Cait, or else a sophisticated wine night with Curie; but never alone.

Halfway into her beer, Sole managed to finally relax; clinging to the refrain of whatever Magnolia sang to it, instead of a drinking buddy tonight.  When a man about her age sidled up to Sole, she came to regret not wanting to be alone.  She had an inch or two on him, but his eyes were shrewd and unsettling, reminding Sole of a rat – or maybe that was the way he had seemed to scurry into her space, and insist on staying.

“Hey there, I’m Carter.  And you are?”

It had started out friendly enough; he had even been enough of a gentleman to hide the dirty in his eyes before approaching her.

“Hi.”  Sole kept her gaze on Magnolia.

Carter nodded, his lips pursed, before trying again.

“So uh, good music, huh?”

Sole clenched her jaw. “Yep.”

Carter nodded. “Cool, yeah so let’s just, uh, listen to it, I guess.”

Sole relaxed slightly when Carter didn’t try talking to her any longer, assuming he had given up.  It wasn’t until she felt something stroke dangerously close to the curve of her ass, that she realized it had been a false sense of security.  Sole stiffened and cleared her throat.

Get your dirty rat bastard hands off of me.

Is what she wanted to spit.

“…Huh?”

Is what came out as a strangled squeak.

“Hm, that’s right.”

Sole heard his reedy, husky voice before she felt his lips against her ear.  Sole couldn’t contain the shudder, the involuntary touch egging Carter on for one reason or another.

“Please…” Sole managed to choke out, as Carter’s hand reached down to give her butt a rough squeeze.

Automatically, Sole kicked her foot up as high as it would go, feeling a flash of satisfaction as she felt it connect.  Carter doubled over, his breath leaving him sharply, as he let out a pained groan; Sole’d guess she’d just bruised his manhood in more than one way.  Sole’s triumphant was fleeting, before she felt a rough hand grab her by her arm and spin her around.  She was able to catch a glimpse of the rage that contorted Carter’s barely handsome features; face to face with the rat king.  Then, something harsh made contact with her cheek.  Her head jerked to the side, as a resounding smack reverberated through her.

“I-“

Sole’s words failed her; her fury, her outrage, the bloodlust that welled inside of her.  Sole mustered all the courage she could, ready to unleash a slew of curses on the man, before she delivered a swift, expedited pass to hell.

“You –“

But from the opposite direction, a pale fist slammed into the side of Carter, and knocked him to the ground with a solid thunk.  Sole watched as a drifter rubbed his inflamed knuckles, muttering curses, with a smile.  Her only regret?  That she didn’t do it herself.

“Hey!  What the fuck man?”

“Sorry, hand slipped.”

The drifter said offhandedly, shrugging, his sunglasses concealing what could only be bitterness or guile.

“Whatever—” Carter shoved himself back up  “—fuck this, and fuck her, this is what I get for trying to be nice I guess.”   He spat. “I’m a real nice fucking guy.”

“Oh yeah, a real Prince Charming,” the drifter muttered before turning to Sole. “By the way, are you alright?”

Sole smiled softly. “I am now.  Thanks…Deacon.”

The drifter’s face opened into shock. “No way!  How could you tell it was me?”

Sole snorted. “I go undercover with you on a weekly basis; I know all of your tricks.”

Deacon made a face. “N-Not all of them.”

“Really?”  Sole raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

“Really.  Like…”  Deacon said and reached behind Sole’s ear and produced a bottle cap seemingly out of nowhere.

Sole took the cap and chuckled. “Okay. Yeah. That one is new.”

“I don’t think so.” Sole smiled, turning back to Magnolia, and clapping right in time as she finished her last set.

“You always have my back, so it makes sense that you’d show up when I’d need you most.”

Deacon studied Sole in all her ‘fineness’.  Not shaky, or emotional, distraught or even enraged anymore.

“So…you’re good?”

Sole beamed, and Deacon thought his soul might leave his body then and there.

“I am.”

**Dogmeat** : Dogmeat sat at Sole’s feet, dozing comfortably beneath her chair as she unwound.  He could taste the scent of booze and good company in the air; and so he didn’t bother paying closer attention until the tang of fear curdled around his nose.  Dogmeat pricked his ears and tilted his head.

Another human was next to Sole; the fear smell emanating more strongly off Sole the longer he lingered on.

Dogmeat let out a small yelp and bared his teeth at the seemingly unwanted stranger.  Sole was so nice though; so, he wanted to be sure it’s what she wanted.  The man leaned in, and automatically, Sole leaned away; Dogmeat liked this.  The human was making his Sole smell bad! They should leave.  Maybe she was waiting for him?  Dogmeat slunk out from beneath the seat, rising to his full height.  The calloused pads of his feet coupled with his nails clacked across the worn linoleum of the floor.

Certainly Sole would see him now and know they could leave?  He’d be right with her; it was okay!  He stood there as the fear scent grew stronger; bitter and acrid.

Dogmeat barked loudly, and he watched as the man turned to him briefly, making a sound with his mouth; different from the ones he was making towards Sole.  Sole’s eyes shifted back to glance at Dogmeat quickly.

Dogmeat could not only smell her fear, he could smell it.

Dogmeat bared his teeth again, letting out a low growl this time.  The man hissed at him.  As waves of the harsh fear scent rolled off of Sole, Dogmeat watched, triumphant as Sole tried to rise to her own feet, before the man grabbed her, yanking her close, and bringing his large hand against her face.  Sole let out a pained yelp, and the fear scent grew stronger still.

No!

Dogmeat surged forward, locking his powerful jaw around the first part of the man, he could reach.  In this case; it was the forearm of the arm the man had used to strike Sole; his hand still in position as Sole whimpered and shrunk away from him.

Dogmeat’s teeth dug into the man’s flesh, and a growl tore from his throat as he clenched tighter still, trying to draw blood.  When the sharp, coppery taste reached him, Dogmeat knew to wag his head back and forth; invoking more pain from the serrated edges of his sharp teeth.

The man howled in pain, trying to shake him off, but Dogmeat thought angry, hungry thoughts.  By the time the man had successfully freed himself, bright, crimson seeped through his clothing and dripped to the floor.  The man favored the wound gingerly, before barring his teeth at Sole.  There was the fear scent again, but this time, it was mixed with the scent of the man’s blood.  Dogmeat yelped, before growling again in warning towards the man.

Leave!

The man turned tail, and it wasn’t until Sole sunk back into her seat, and rested a gentle hand atop Dogmeat’s head, that he relaxed, his tail wagging.

“Thank you, boy,” she whispered.

Dogmeat cocked his head, he didn’t know what she was saying, but the fear scent was gone, and the atmosphere regained the relaxed tone from before.

He circled a few times, before settling at Sole’s feet again, Sole’s fingers scratching at his ears, tenderly sending him gently to dreamland.

**Hancock** :  Hancock watched Sole from his usual corner chair at the Third Rail.  Next to him, Fahrenheit sat coiled faithfully at his side, in her own plush, red chair; the coffee table before them held a hearty spread of chems.  Hancock had already picked his poison for the evening; jet, something to let him glide lazily through the evening.

He reclined further into his seat, his eyes watching Sole from a distance.  He wasn’t creepy – or rather, he wasn’t trying to be.  It was just interesting to watch her; Piper had been right, it was terribly obvious that Sole differed from the typical Commonwealth riffraff.  The aforementioned ‘fish out of water’ look, the softness of her features – the Commonwealth had not yet calloused her.

Hancock watched her, as she sat perched on the stool at the bar; Charlie brought her a glass of what looked like rosé.  An uncommon choice; most in the Commonwealth drank to forget, and that required something a helluva lot stronger than the pink, sparkly stuff Sole was drinking.  He watched as Sole smiled and dipped her head slightly, accepting the drink – the gesture was so obviously one of gratitude.  Another trademark of her pre-war mystique; no one in the Commonwealth was that thankful for a drink.

Hancock sat up a little straighter in his seat when he watched a man approach Sole; the saunter in his step told Hancock that the man was looking for more than just friendly chatter.  He watched as Sole jolted when the man said something; he must’ve had a loud voice – Sole was sensitive to noise.  He would know; his rasp was quiet enough that she had never flinched with him.  The man laughed jovially, and Hancock watched, inwardly cringing as Sole forced a polite smile.  Her entire body seemed to automatically shift so that she could be as far away from the man as possible, without toppling off her seat.

Irritation flashed through Hancock, burning and abrupt, when the man clamped his hand on Sole’s shoulder.  Hancock watched her squirm, her discomfort painfully obvious even from Hancock’s distance, and through the fog of his high.  He rose to his feet, deliberately, not wanting Sole to know he had been watching yet but needing to be ready when this guy pulled something.

Fahrenheit peeked a lazy eye open. “What’s up?”

Hancock’s eyes glinted in the dim light. “Nothin’, just stretchin’ my legs.”

Fahrenheit scoffed, watching the way one of Hancock’s hands idly brushed over the area of his coat, where he concealed his switchblade inside.  She followed Hancock’s gaze to the guy speaking to Sole; the latter’s revulsion written on her face, as plain as day.

“Stretching them for what?  So, you won’t get a cramp when you go kick that guy’s ass?”

“You know I take personal health very seriously,”  Hancock muttered.

Fahrenheit snorted, “Of course.  How silly of me.  That’s why you take your daily chems; you know what they say, four a day keeps the doctor away.”

Her eyes fell shut again, and she leaned back against the chair.

“Whatever, if you’re going to step in though, you should do so soon.  That guy looks like he doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.  Not that Sole is especially great at that,”  Fahrenheit muttered the last part.

Hancock found himself gravitating towards the scene as it unfolded, his gut telling him that despite his vigilance that evening, that he still wasn’t fast enough.  As usual, his gut was right; the man grasped Sole’s wrist tightly when Hancock had reached the center of the Third Rail’s main room.  The man’s knuckles were white, and fear marred Sole’s features.

C’mon sunshine, don’t let him push you around like that.

Pride welled in Hancock as he watched Sole ready herself, before she shoved the man back roughly, and scrambled off of the school.  The levity in that moment was fleeting though, for in the next instance, cruel consequence smacked it down, his stomach dropping as the man roughly yanked Sole back by her elbow, landing a sharp slap across her cheek.  Sole’s hair fanned out, as her face fell to the side from the impact.

Hancock found himself moving much more quickly now as he watched Sole flinch away from the man as he dragged her close and whispered something heatedly to her.  Hancock’s arm pulled back with machine like efficiency, before snapping forward, and making contact with the side of the man’s face in a perfectly timed blow.  The man slumped against the counter of the bar, before jackknifing back up.  He pressed his hand to his mouth and pulled it back to inspect it; the crimson that leaked onto his hand from his lip seemed to trigger some sort of rage mechanism with him, as he looked at Hancock, the crazy in his eyes filtering out the realization that this was the mayor he was now facing off with.  A mayor that had stabbed a man for the very same woman he had just hit, the first time he’d met her.

Hancock shrugged off his jacket, draping it around Sole’s shoulders; half for the comfort the garment may have provided her, and half so that everyone now knew that she was under his wing; a declaration of war on her was a declaration of war on him.  The man shifted so that his feet were shoulder length apart, raising his fists in front of his already battered face, guardedly.  He paused for a moment, and as if in slow motion, Hancock could see the preparation for the punch he was about to throw.  Hancock sidestepped a good second prior to the man throwing a sloppy punch; this dodge also allowing Hancock access to the man’s back.  Hancock raised a deceptively wiry leg up and brought it against the man’s back, forcing him to the ground with a vicious kick, before keeping it planted there.

“Have you learned nothing from Finn?  You two were tied at the hip, I would’ve thought the lesson I taught him would’ve reached you right away.”

The man struggled fruitlessly beneath Hancock’s boot. Hancock tsked.

“I guess not.  Oh well, you know what they say; ‘stupid is, as stupid does,’ and you my friend, are very stupid.”

The man grunted out what sounded like a curse.

“Hmph, well I’m not without mercy; I let you up, you get the hell out and you never bother this woman again.  Ya hear?”

The dark tone in Hancock’s raspy voice sounded like a hiss.  The man continued to struggle, and Hancock rolled his eyes, lifting his boot.  With an almost cartoonish jump, the man leapt to his feet, before staggering towards the entrance, without risking a glance back towards Sole.  Hancock watched, satisfied, before turning to Sole.

“You alright Sole?”

Sole’s bottom lip trembled, and her eyes were red.

“I-I’m sorry, Hancock.”

Hancock raised what would’ve been an eyebrow.“And what are you sorry for?”

“I couldn’t…I caused trouble for you again.”  Sole sighed defeatedly.

Hancock rested a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t you worry about that doll, I’m the mayor of this town, it’s my job to take care of the people.”

Sole flushed. “R-right, your job.”

The corner of Hancock’s mouth lifted into a lopsided smile. “And, of course, you.  You know you’re my special girl.”

Sole smiled bashfully.

“Come with me.” Hancock gently shepherded her back in the direction of where Fahrenheit was sitting.

“Hang with us for the evening; you can self-medicate, and no more weirdos will bother you.  Well, no more dangerous weirdos.”

Shyly, Sole followed Hancock back to the distant corner of the Third Rail, now cozy under the watch of the duo.  Sole spent the rest of the night draped in Hancock’s coat; the first to be save for the Hancocks themselves.

**MacCready** : The sun was riding low on the horizon when MacCready and Sole arrived at the Dugout Inn.  MacCready’s face lit up in recognition. “Hey…I know this place!”

“Ah, MacCready!”  Vadim grinned broadly upon spotting the pair.

“Vadim!  Still killing people with your moonshine?”

Vadim laughed. “Yes, yes, is good, you know it.”

Vadim turned to face Sole, his arms spread open. “And you!  MacCready’s pretty new lady friend!”

MacCready and Sole both blushed brightly. “Oh…i-it’s not like that.”

MacCready rubbed the back of his neck, flustered.  Sole bashfully looked down, studying her toes.

“Sorry, sorry, mouth faster than brain sometimes!”  Vadim waved his hands around, as if scattering the awkward notes of silence that had fallen between them.

“Don’t worry about it Vadim,”

MacCready sat down at the bar, and Sole followed suite, taking the seat next to him, a few seats away from the next closest patrons.

“So, you drink! What would you like to drink?”

“Two beers please.”

Vadim feigned disappointment. “No ‘Bobrov’s Best Moonshine’?”

MacCready chuckled. “Not today, this one and I still have tons to do; can’t risk it tonight.”

Sole smiled quaintly.

Vadim just laughed as he got the beers and cracked them open, before sliding them towards the pair.

“Thanks!”

“Thank you.”

Sole sighed heavily, the fatigue of their day’s work catching up to her.

“It’s been a long day,”  MacCready agreed.

“I…”  Sole smiled to herself for a moment, before hesitating.

“What is it?”  MacCready looked at her.

Sole shook her head. “Nevermind.”

MacCready’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, but he said nothing; if Sole had decided not to say anything, she was a vault – nothing was coming out.  They sipped their beer in comfortable silence for a few moments, grateful to have a few moments to slow down after hours of being shot at and running around the Commonwealth.

Sole had just finished her beer when a man took the seat on the other side.  MacCready raised his eyebrows but said nothing, as the man ordered.  Sole sucked in her cheeks, and focused on tracing the rim of her beer bottle with her pinky finger.

“Hey.” The man turned to Sole and grinned.

Sole thought perhaps the man wouldn’t notice her, the small amount of alcohol in her system just enough to lead her to overlook the fact that he had just spoken to her.  Sole focused harder on the bottle, tracing more intensely.  MacCready cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Hey,” the man tried again, this time a little louder.

Sole begrudgingly looked over to the vicinity of the man, still avoiding the man himself.

“Hi.”

“What’s your name?”

“S-Sole.”

Sole hated the husk of a whisper in her voice.

“Sole – that’s a pretty name.  Fitting for a pretty girl.”

Sole flushed. “T-Thanks.”

MacCready pretended to not pay attention, focusing instead on the seemingly endless bottles that lined the wall behind Vadim, who was cleaning out a shot glass.  MacCready listened for alarm bells.

“So, Sole, you look like you could use some company.”

Sole shot a glance towards MacCready. “Erhm, no, I’m fine.”

“Oh c’mon, you don’t mean that.”

Alarm bell number one; pushy.

Sole’s eyebrows furrowed. “No, I’m fine.”

The man winked. “Yes, you are.”

Alarm bell two; he didn’t even bother to hide his intentions.  MacCready tried to keep his face impassive as he listened.  The man finished his drink with gusto.

“What do you say we get out of here?” he suggested, solidly placing his glass back on the counter.

MacCready’s ears burned; the audacity!  Sole couldn’t contain her revulsion.

“Uh, definitely not.”

The man frowned. “Hey, that’s not nice.”

Sole pursed her lips; Making unwanted advance isn’t nice either!

Sole said nothing.

“Ya know, I’m a real nice guy,”  the man continued. “But if you can’t appreciate it, then forget it, I was only asking you out to be nice anyways.” He looked her up and down. “I thought it might be a nice change for you.”

Shame burned Sole’s cheeks; she knew such comments were born from his own insecurity, but still; however, his fragile pride marred the story, she knew her voice was too small to set anyone straight.

MacCready cleared his throat, and shoved away from the table. “Alright, that’s enough.  The lady said no, so why don’t you take a long hike over a short pier.”

The guy raised an eyebrow. “Nice of you to defend your brahmin; but honestly man, it’s not worth it, she’s not putting out either way.”

MacCready’s fist twitched, but he stayed civilized. “I said that’s enough, just walk away.  You’re obviously not getting anywhere here, man.”

The man scoffed bitterly. “Whatever, mind your own business.”

“When you’re bothering her, it is my business.”

“That’s tough talk.”  The man had scooted off of his seat, and shoved at MacCready.

Before the former Gunner could respond though, Sole stepped in front, forming a barrier between him and the abrasive fellow.

“Hey! Knock it off!” The shrill command that left Sole’s mouth was unrecognizable.  

The man curled his lip, “Oh yeah, says who?”

The man reached to shove Sole out of the way, and without thinking her hand swiped up to intercept his arm.  The man’s other hand came down in response, reaching to strike Sole hard across the face.  The resounding slap seemed to echo, as the impact reverberated through her.  Her head tossed to the side, her hair mussed, and cheek swollen.  The other patrons in the bar looked over; and the bar grew silent.

“You fucking piece of shit, rat bastard,”  MacCready spat before lunging at the man.

Sole could only watch as MacCready, a whole head shorter than the guy, tackled him to the ground, pinning him before landing a series of solid blows to his jaw.  The man’s head was forced from left to right and back again; and with each abrupt motion, more blood seemed to appear on his face; first his lips, then his nose, eventually, the man stopped his fruitless attempts to refute – be it from lack of ability, or surrender, no one could tell for sure.  His hands pinwheeled out blindly, landing a few solid sporadic hits here and there.

Vadim and Sole struggled to pry MacCready from the guy.

“RJ!”  Sole exclaimed, worriedly.

“S’nothing,”  MacCready muttered, dabbing at his split lip with the sleeve of his duster that was intact.

“What’s wrong with you?”  Vadim’s angry voice rang out through out the bar.

Sole turned in the direction of the noise to see Vadim standing over the bloody, battered man on the floor, his hands on his hips.

“You start trouble in my bar?  You can leave.  Get the hell out.”

“Help,” the man moaned.

Vadim tsked. “You cause trouble, and ask for help?  Debil.”

Vadim reached up to hoist the man up by his armpits, before dragging him to the door, and throwing him out.

“You’re business is welcome when you calm down.”  Vadim nodded resolutely, before dusting his hands off against each other, and heading back in.  A couple of minutes later, normalcy had been restored; the bar once again buzzed with light chatter, the booze continued to flow, and Sole was pressing an ancient, frozen bag of peas, that Vadim had found in the cooler he had never checked,  to MacCready’s rapidly blackening eye.

“It’s fine, Sole.” MacCready swatted at Sole’s hand.

She tsked back, “Settle down and let me help you,”

“I’m telling you I don’t need help.”

“Just let me!”  Sole exclaimed frustratedly.

MacCready paused in his surprise, seldom did Sole use such a tone with people.

“It’s the least I can do after you helped me,”  Sole said quietly, gently pressing the freezer burned pack to his eye.

“Of course I’d help you,”  MacCready mumbled back.

A quiet well between the two, Sole flushed brightly, her chest tightening at this new, strange feeling.  Suddenly, MacCready’s arm came to firmly, but lightly, push Sole’s hand away from his eye.  He blinked blearily up at her.

“I…I didn’t like the way he talked to you.”

Sole looked away. “I didn’t either.”

“And I think, maybe people wouldn’t bother you so much if…”

“If…?”

MacCready swallowed. “Nothing, nevermind.”

Sole pouted. “No fair, won’t you tell me?”

“You did the same to me,” MacCready pointed out.

Sole sighed, but could offer no further argument.  She resumed dabbing at his eye gently with the pack of frozen peas, an elephant bearing an unspoken truth neither were ready yet to confront, lingered in the room.  Sole blushed, knowing full well what it was, MacCready’s heart hammered at Sole’s proximity; neither said a thing.

**Nick Valentine** :  Sole slumped down onto a seat at the Dugout Inn, as Nick settled in next to her.  He shrugged his trench coat off, cuffing up the sleeves of his white dress code.

“Nick!  You come back?  To help with…?”

Nick chuckled. “No Vadim, I’m just here to unwind; not to test your…more experimental products.”

Vadim nodded, not offput in the least. “Of course, of course – you will have the usual yes?”

“Sure, thanks Vadim.”

Vadim looked to Sole. “And a beer for the lady?”

“Yes, please.”  Sole smiled shyly.

A few moments later, drink were slid over their way; a glass of bourbon for Nick, a beer for Sole.  Nick caught Sole eyeing his drink mid-sip.

“What is your ‘usual’?”

Nick tilted his glass, careful not to let any of the liquid spill out, he peeked in. “Bourbon.  Was a favorite of ol’ Nick’s before the bombs dropped.”

“And you like it too?”  Sole peered at him curiously, ignoring her own drink.

Nick sent her a lopsided smile. “I do.  Do you?”

Sole shrugged. “I’ve never had it before.”

“Want a sip?”

“Is that okay?”  Sole flushed.

Nick chuckled. “If I didn’t think so doll, I wouldn’t have offered.”

He offered the glass to her, and she hesitated before accepting it, and taking a hasty sip.  Sole made a face and swallowed laboriously.

“It’s…different.”

“It’s not for everyone” —the corner of Nick’s mouth quirked up—“Jenny didn’t like it much either.”

Sole smiled softly. “A woman of good taste.”

Nick shook his head fondly.

“Hey,” Nick said suddenly.

Sole looked at him questioningly.

“I think someone’s coming this way – it’s a guy,”  Nick muttered the last part, and Sole barely had time to register the strange tone Nick had taken, before a man she didn’t recognize was on her other side, offering her a glass of something clear.

“Can I offer you a drink?”

Sole pursed her lips; she made it a point to not accept drinks she didn’t see poured herself.

“No thank you.”

The man’s smile was unsettling like a smile with too many teeth; too perfect, and not matching the sharpness in his eyes.

“Oh c’mon, one drink won’t hurt.”

Sole swallowed nervously, and hesitated.

“The lady said ‘no’.”  Nick’s yellow eyes bore into the stranger’s.

“Hey buddy, I wasn’t talking to you.”

Nick made a disgruntled face, but stayed quiet for now.

“I…”

“C’mon,”  the man coaxed, setting the glass on the counter, close to Sole.

“She doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to.”  Nick’s voice stung.

The man turned to glare at Sole exasperatedly. “Buddy, what did I just tell you?”

“What did she just tell you?”  Nick retorted.

“Mind your own damned business!”

“He’s r-right.” Sole winced as her voice wobbled, but her gaze was unflinching as she forced herself to dagger her eyes at this insolent stranger.

“I s-said ‘no’, and that means no!”

The man snorted. “That’s just something frigid women say.”

The rage that had been simmering within Sole boiled over, red hazed her vision and before she realized what she was doing her hand was reaching up of its own accord, and landing hard against the man’s cheek.  He flinched, from surprise, rather than pain, but the fury that marred his own features was no less.

In a flurry of motion, Sole flinched away from it, and when her eyes opened, her cheek stung.  The man’s hand was on the other side; Sole stared dumbly at the stranger, as a muted shock went through her, before her rage reared its angry head once more, boiling over.

Suddenly a pale fist whizzed past her face and hit the man’s jaw with a hard crack, the impact sending him sprawling on the ground.  Sole looked at Nick, his yellow eyes half lidded and blazing with an intensity she hadn’t seen since Eddie Winters.

“Pick on someone your own size,”  Nick muttered, his lip curling in disdain, beneath the rim of his detective’s hat.

The man jackknifed to his feet, before lurching towards Nick, Nick’s hands flew up, ready.  Then Sole launched herself at the man, much to his and Nick’s surprise.

“You stupid, dirty, scummy, shitter, piece of crap, good-for-nothing, slack jawed –“

In a flurry of fists, Sole pummeled her smaller, ineffectual fists against the man, as he cowered inwards, trying to evade her badgering.  Nick quickly looped his arms beneath her armpits and over her shoulders, gently, but firmly dragging her back.

“Hey!”

The man unfurled his arms from his face, before grinning smugly at them.

“Get lost before I let her beat you to a pulp.”  Nick glowered at the man.

The man scoffed but turned tail and left; Nick was careful not to let Sole go until the man was out of site, the door closing behind him.

“It’s fine doll, he’s not worth it.”

Sole frowned, but didn’t fight against Nick any further; exhausting her courage for one day.

“Fine.  But only because you gave him a good beating for me.”

Nick chuckled. “You can have the next one.”

Sole’s bottom lip jutted out. “You bet I can.”

Nick turned towards Sole, reaching up with his good man to angle her face so that she could better see the red, swelling cheek.

“Does that hurt at all, doll?”

“No!”

Nick pressed a finger to it lightly, watching as Sole gingerly flinched away.

“Only a little…”

Nick shook his head, his gaze darkening. “That bastard.”

“It’s fine Nick, he was a nobody, and my face will heal.”

Nick shook his head, disgustedly. “It’s disgraceful is all.  Where I come from, we don’t hit women.”

“You shouldn’t hit anyone.” Sole pointed out.

“That’s true.”  Nick agreed, but his gaze softened when it met hers.  “But it was…difficult watching it happen; he was so much bigger than you, and if I hadn’t been here…”  Nick hesitated.

Inwardly, Sole shuddered at the thought, but she flashed Nick a smile.

“If you hadn’t been here, he would’ve been hopping out the door on one leg?”

“Oh yeah?  How’s that?”

“I would’ve ripped one off and beaten him with it.”

Nick shook his head, raising his eyebrows. “I don’t doubt it doll, not one bit.”

**Longfellow** : Longfellow’s eyes stayed trained on the man from across the bar, as he watched him argue heatedly with Sole.  He had watched him approach her; a drink in hand; an offering.  He had watched her decline – it had probably been quiet, and good natured, as Sole usually was.

He had watched him expressively reject, her rejection – Longfellow had scoffed; punks these days just didn’t know how to act. Boys, he called them, not men.  He had watched as, in her own way Sole had quite loudly, and emphatically told him ‘no’.  He watched the man breeze right past that, and now he still watched, he watched them argue and Sole turned her nose up, and he would’ve found it completely amusing if the man hadn’t seized her wrist.  His large hand was squeezing so hard his knuckles were white; Sole tried to tug it free, to no avail.  She seemed so small, and fragile as the man jerked her around.  Longfellow took a large swig of his drink, and shoved away from the table, starting towards the duo.

As he crossed over, intending to step in before things got ugly; too little, too late. The man raised his large, bear like palm, and brought it down hard across Sole’s face.  He watched Sole scatter to the ground, the impact sending her skittering away, as she favored her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief.  Anger surged up in Longfellow; the behavior was disgusting, abhorrent; spineless.

Mitch and Debby hurried to the scene, dragging the man from the scene as Longfellow forced himself to go to Sole – and not follow them out, so that he could give his own  _lecture_  on respect, to the bastard.

Longfellow dropped down to one knee, “That was quite a spill you took there darlin’, are you alright?”

Sole looked at him, eyes wide, hand still pressed to her cheek.  Her eyes watered at his uncharacteristically gentle tone – almost as if it alarmed her.

“I-?”

“Ssh,” Longfellow’s eyes were soft, as he reached up to tug at her hand.  “Lemme see.”

Sole let him pull her hand away, trembling.

The skin was swollen and red; a few faint thin lines of blood dotted the raised area of her cheekbone – he must’ve been wearing rings or something.

Longfellow reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded handkerchief, dabbing at the thin beads of blood.  Sole winced.

“Easy there,”  he chided, reaching his other hand around to cup the back of her head, holding her steady as she balked.

“L-Longfellow?”

“What is it, darlin’?”

“I…I don’t want to go home.”  

Finished, Longfellow tucked the used kerchief back into his pocket sloppily, looking up to give Sole his undivided attention.

“Okay.”

“C-Can I…?”  Sole’s bottom lip trembled, and he watched her swallow back a sob.

Normally, he would’ve waited until she spat it out; endearing as he thought her mannerisms were, he knew it was important for her to learn to become more assertive – he wouldn’t always be there to beat up the bullies after all.

“Of course, lass.”

Tonight though, he figured she’d been through enough. Tonight, he’d keep her close.

He stood up, offering his hand to help her up at all.  Letting her loop her arm through is, he led her back to the table where he had been sitting.  As she sat down, Longfellow turned to Mitch – back at the bar now – and made a swirling motion with his finger;  _Another round._ Mitch nodded.

Sole was already chattering easily away to Longfellow when her drink arrived.

**Piper** : “…and then, I snuck out, in the middle of the night, and—“ Piper shrugged “—no one was the wiser!”

Sole’s mouth was agape, her mouth clamped over it in disbelief.

“No!”

“Yes!”

Sole laughed, her hand coming up to shield one of her more honest expressions from eyesight.

“You weren’t kidding – you’ve been in some tight situations.”

Piper shrugged again, and took a sip of her beer. “Occupational hazard.”

Sole shook her head. “How come we don’t get into that sort of trouble?”

Piper looked at her like she was crazy. “What do you mean?  You and I get into loads of trouble; did we not just expose the largest scandal Diamond City has probably seen since…ever?”

Sole pursed her lips. “I suppose.”

Piper studied Sole’s expression. “What more do you want?”

Sole shrugged. “I don’t know – we don’t do nearly enough sneaking or escaping as you do on your own.”

Piper smiled crookedly. “Well Blue, it’s…different going with you versus going alone.”

“Different how?”

“When you’re with me I’m…more careful?  I mean it’s not just myself at stake, so I need to be more careful.”

“You think I can’t handle myself?”  Sole demanded.

“No!  That’s not what I said, I just mean that I can’t be as careless, because I don’t know how much…danger you’re consenting to.”

Sole snorted. “I mean,  I’m infiltrating the –“  Sole lowered her voice “—Institute.” Her voice returned to it’s normal volume.  “So I’d say at least as much as you are.”

“Blue…”

They went back and forth like that for a while; which is why they didn’t notice guys that approached, dividing them up like livestock, in their heads.

“Evening, ladies.”  The first one, a brunette, grinned toothily.

Piper and Sole paused their bickering, both gazes flicking to the new arrivals simultaneously.

“Uh, hi.”  Piper scowled, unimpressed.

Sole could only bring herself to stare at them.

“I’m Glenn,” the blonde one introduced, his smile just as unsettling.  “My buddy here, is Shane, and we’re were talking –“

“Oh great, in monosyllables? Or…”  Piper muttered, and Sole flushed, elbowing Piper in the ribs.

Glenn and Shane exchanged looks but didn’t comment.

“We were talking, and we decided that we wanted to buy you ladies drinks.”

“We already have drinks.”  Piper deadpanned, crossing her arms.

“What about your friend here?”  Shane looked at Sole, “Why don’t you let her speak for herself?”

Piper raised an eyebrow, before moving a hand to jab at Glenn’s chest. “Listen, my friend…”

“Isn’t interested,”  Sole finished quickly; not wanting Piper’s silver tongue to get them in trouble, that it would later have to get them out of.  Still though, she secretly envied Piper’s standoffish demeanor; all she wanted to do was go back to their night.

“Sorry, but it’s true.  Uh, thanks anyways though.”  Sole’s voice was quiet.

Piper said nothing, but her grinned haughtily, her arms still crossed, and her hip jutting sassily out to the side.

Glenn studied them for a second, before smirking, “Huh.  Okay fine.”

Piper couldn’t resist the implicit challenge.

“What is it?”

Glenn raised his hands in surrender. “Nothing – I get it, you ladies aren’t interested in…attention, we could give you.”

Piper’s eyebrows furrowed as she struggled to decipher the strange wording.

“…But attention you ladies could give each other.”

Shane pressed, a stupid look still plastered on his face.

Piper’s features shifted from that of confusement to one of scorn.

“Yeah, you’re right!”  Sole cut in hastily, shooting a warning glance towards Piper. “Absolutely, point being; we’re not interested.”

Piper snorted. “Yeah, but it’s not just because you’re boys, it’s because you guys have IQs of approximately room temperature, so even if –“  Piper slung an arm around Sole’s shoulders “—we weren’t together, you’d be the last cro magnons we’d take up with.”

“Piper,” Sole murmured, warningly.

“Yeah, listen to your little girlfriend.” Glenn frowned. “You keep running your big mouth, and we’re going to have some troubles.”

Piper snorted, raising her fingers to waggle them tauntingly. “Ooh, I’m so scared.”

Glenn curled his lip. “You know, on second thought, maybe someone should teach you a lesson anyway.”

He stepped forward threateningly, and before Sole even realized what she was doing, she was between Piper and Glenn.  The next thing Sole saw was his large, open palm hurtling towards her face.  He struck her hard enough so that several patrons around at the local watering hole turned to face them, curious.  Sole let out a pained yelp, shrinking back behind Piper, cheek in hand.

“Sole!”  Piper gasped. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah.”  Sole rubbed it gingerly, as it blew up like a balloon, angry and red.

Sole’s eyes watered and streamed.  Piper turned to face Glenn, glaring.

“You dick.”

“She jumped in my way – it’s her fault.”

That was all Glenn had time to say, before Piper lunged at him.  In her haste, her hat toppled off; the flurry of motion startled Glenn, who cowered away, his back towards her.  This was not enough to ward off Piper’s attack; she hopped onto his back, wrapping her hands around his shoulders.  It vaguely reminded Sole of bull riders, from the pre-war days.  It would’ve been funny, if she hadn’t been worried about Glenn’s retaliation, with Piper at the whims of his movements.

“Get off of me you psycho!”

“Apologize to her, you bastard!”

“Your friend’s crazy!”  Shane muttered, staggering back a few feet.

Sole’s eyebrows furrowed. “Your friend threw the first punch.”

Shane shook his head. “I know Glenn’s an idiot, but she’s gonna kill him!”

Sole mulled his statement over for a moment. “I’ll call Piper off if you call Glenn off.”

Shane sighed. “Deal.”

He took a step forward. “Hey Glenn – stop dicking around, let’s go.”

“I can’t while this – this thing, is on me.”

“C’mon Piper, it’s fine, let go.”

“Not until he apologizes.”

Shane rolled his eyes. “Glenn, just do it.  It was your fault anyways.”

“Are you serious?”  Glenn’s voice was indignant, even under Piper’s weight.  He groaned. “Fine, ‘sorry’ or whatever.”

Sole rolled her eyes. “Good enough.  Piper?”

“Fine.”

In a matter of seconds, Piper had released her grip, and slid off his back.  She stooped down to pick up her hat, replacing it firmly atop her head, before smoothing her red, trenchcoat.  Order had been restored.

“You should go,”  Sole muttered, as Piper daggered her eyes at Glenn.

“Yeah.”  Shane grabbed Glenn by the arm of his jacket, and tugged him away.

“And stay gone!”  Piper called out to their retreating figures.

Sole sighed, turning to face Piper, her face exasperated.

“What?”  Piper asked innocently. “You were the one who said you wanted to get into more hijinks with me.”

Sole’s mouth fell open as she went to raise a counterpoint, but as silence tumbled out, it fell shut.

“Exactly.” Piper grinned, before retaking her seat at the bar, and ordering another round.

**Gage** :  Gage shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as the main gang leaders and high up officers mingled around him.  Sole had hosted a meeting to commemorate her ascent to power over the Nuka-World factions, and as the booze flowed, and the evening dragged on, the meeting had become less business, and more party.

Gage sipped his whiskey silently; he hated crowds.  From across the bar, he spotted Mason and Nisha chattering; he made a mental note to let Sole know about that.  A Pack-Disciples pact would mean mutiny for sure.  His gaze flicked to Dixie, who was sipping a drink of her own, sitting coiled on a chair in the corner.  He didn’t let his gaze linger too long; if there’s anyone he didn’t want attention from, it was her.  He looked around for Sole, and saw her by the elevator, looking out at the glowing lights of Nuka-World below; nursing a drink.  He figured he’d wander over to touch base, but stopped short when he saw William Black sidle up to Sole.

He watched as Sole jerked slightly when William came to rest his hands on her shoulders.  Gage gritted his teeth; Sole hated sudden touches like that.  Gage had learned that the first day of meeting her.

He watched from a distance as William and Sole talked; nothing stood out until he watched a shark’s smile spread on his face.  Gage’s eyes narrowed, as he scrutinized them.  Sole reminded him of a minnow as she shrank back.  Black’s grin only grew wider.

He watched him jerk his chin up, his gaze flicking down Sole, looking her up and down like a caravan trader did livestock.  Once he saw that, Gage fleshed out William’s plan; he was flirting with Sole.

To try and move the Operators up?

He justified in his head, but in his heart, he knew it was more than that.  He hated that.  What he hated more was that he only knew that because he himself had found himself inching his way closer to Sole, only to spend sleepless nights feeding himself the same lie; that it would be beneficial to shack up with him.

Jealousy writhed in his gut, a putrid, green snake.

A sharp slap jerked him from his envious rabbithole.  His gut burned when he thought about how William must’ve touched her; but upon seeing Sole favoring her cheek, the fire had reached his skin.  He shoved roughly away from the bar, nearly sending his glass toppling over in the process, before striding over to Sole and William; the former was stiff; Gage knew she was holding in tears.  William was towering above her, his eyes steely, but his mouth was pressed into a thin line.  The Operators weren’t cozied up to anyone, with a word, that action could’ve destroyed them.

If Gage hadn’t been ready to kill him, himself, he would’ve been amused.  Mason and Nisha had been itching for blood and drawing it from that cocky sonuvabitch would’ve been a choice cut for them, he was sure.

As he neared, Sole’s voice stopped him cold.

“Gage.” Unspilled tears trembled threateningly at the corner of her eyes, but her voice was as smooth as silk, and charged; like viper waiting to strike.  “Stand down.”

Gage swallowed, but didn’t dare disobey.  The summit of Fizztop Mountain was silent; Mason watched Sole, a broad grin stretching dangerously across his face.  Nisha’s face was unreadable as she trained her eyes on Sole and William.  Even Dixie was perched at the edge of the sofa, her drink, neglected.

“So, more territory for the Operators, huh?”

William swallowed. “Yes ma’am.”

“And you thought you’d get it by sidling up to me and kissing my ass?  Whoring yourself out?”

Tension crackled in the air; it was as if someone had just fired a Tesla Rifle inside.

“Ma’am.”

Gage watched William’s Adam’s apple bob nervously; the only nervous indicator on his person.

Sole nodded approvingly. “Hm.”

In the next moment, Sole grabbed William by the collar of his shirt and yanked him over to the elevator.  Gage watched her gather more strength with each step, his mouth twitched slightly.  Sole stood safely behind the guardrail of the elevator, but used her foot to hook under Willam’s feet, and hook them out from under him, so that he dangled precariously at the gap between the guardrail, and the summit of Fizztop Mountain.

Gage watched, his eyes wide, impressed, as Sole dangled William Black from the elevator.

“Well!” She announced sweetly, “I’m so sorry Mr. Black, but I have to reject your advances; I just don’t like ass kissers, or men who can’t earn their keep – or…”  Sole pretended to think for a moment. “Oh yeah, or mangy dogs who hit women.”

William’s breathing caught in his throat; he wouldn’t beg for his life, but he may try and barter for it.

“My apologies…Overboss, if you find it upon yourself to have mercy on me, I swear to you I will be indebted to you forever.”

Sole pretended to think; no one said a word.  

“Hmm, okay, counter offer.  I drop you, but promise to send Mags your remains in a nice box!”

William’s eyes widened the barest fraction of a centimeter; a small, automatic movement, but just enough to show Sole that he had submitted finally.

Sole yanked him upright, and shoved him to the floor of the elevator.  He had a head of height on her, but with her foot, she had sent him sprawled awkwardly on the floor.

“If you cross me again, I’ll opt out of the box, and just set your head on a pike,”  Sole said sweetly, blowing him a kiss.  “Now go.”

Sole turned to everyone else. “I believe that puts an end to the evening.”

Nobody moved.

Gage cleared his throat loudly. “Alright everyone, the Overboss has spoken, now get.”

A few moments passed before the room erupted into movement.  One by one, everyone filed out.  Mason and Dixie grinning as they left, Nisha and William were stoic; Gage would keep an eye on them.

Gage turned to face Sole, who exhaled heavily, before slumping onto the couch.

“That was good Boss, you earned their respect at least, for sure.”

Sole nodded mutely.

“Boss, you alright?”

He noticed her bottom lip trembling.

“Sole, it’s alright, it’s just you and me.”

Then she erupted into tears.  Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, and she clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the embarrassing shudders and coughs.

Gage sighed and went to get a beer from the cooler, cracking it open as he made his way back to Sole.

“Here,”  he said gruffly, offering it to her.

With a shaky hand, she accepted it, pressing it to her swollen cheek for a few moments, before taking a large gulp,

Gage plopped down on the couch next to her, reaching up to tilt her chin, so that he could get a better look at her cheek.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah,”

“Black was a real piece of shit for what he did.”  Gage grunted.

“Yeah, I’m the Overboss, I can’t p-put up with insolence like that.”

“Sure,” Gage agreed. “But you were right; he was a mangy dog for putting his hands on you like that.”

Before Gage had realized what he was doing, he softly brought the pad of his thumb across her cheek.  Sole winced.

“Sorry,” Gage murmured.

“N-No worries.”

Gage gently pried the beer from her fingers, before pressing it tenderly to her cheek.  Sole blinked up at him, and Gage looked away, flushing.

“We…don’t have to talk about it Boss.”

“Y-Yeah, you’re right.  I can understand you fine like this.”

Gage’s heart twinged.

**Preston Garvey** :  Preston stretched as he and Sole entered the newest watering hole that had opened up in Sanctuary, heading towards the bar to sit down.

“What’ll it be?”  the bartender asked.

“Anything with a kick,” Preston worked the tense muscles of his neck with a few fatigued fingers.

“Hear, hear,” Sole agreed.

“And for your lady friend?”

“The same for her.”

“Coming up.”

Sole smiled weakly at Preston.

“Thanks.”

“Of course, General.”

This was no odd occurrence; despite her savvy in the Commonwealth and her heart of gold, Sole was rather soft spoken – a fact not well known, save for those who knew her personally.  As such, Preston had taken to ordering for the both of them; he’d been around her long enough to know what she drank.  On celebratory days, she liked brandy, after hard days, she liked vodka.  On the few dates he’d known her to go on, she preferred wine, and when she was drinking with a group, she liked beer.  When it was just the two of them, after a long day, it was –

“Here was are.”

Two glasses of whiskey were slid their way.

“Thank you.”

Preston grabbed a glass, and passed it to Sole, before taking his own.  They sipped their drinks in comfortable quiet; he certainly knew her well enough to know that she just enjoyed the comfort of companionship.  As for him?  He quite enjoyed hers as well.  Sole had just felt recharged enough to start talking when a man approached from the other side.

“’Evening.”

Sole glanced back towards Preston nervously. “Hi.”

Preston sipped his drink; nonchalant in appearance, but remaining vigilant, listening for Sole’s cue for him to rescue her.

“I saw you sitting here and was wondering if I could buy you a drink.”

“Oh um—”  Sole squirmed in her seat “— well, I already have a drink.”

The man’s gaze flicked to her glass, still half full. “I see that, can I buy you one though?”

“Well, um, I would say yes but…”

Heat rose up in Sole, staining her cheeks; she didn’t think she could do this by herself after all.

“But?”

“But I uh…I’m actually in the mood for mutfruit.”

Sole glanced back at Preston, hoping she had said it loud enough, that he still remembered.  Meanwhile, the man on the other side of her furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

“I would buy you that, but I don’t think they sell food here…”

Code word activated, Preston turned in his seat, flanking Sole.

“Hey man, we’ve had a long day, so I think she’s good.”

The man glowered at Preston. “Why don’t you let her tell me herself?”

Preston raised his hands in a surrendering motion, meaning no trouble, but certainly not a sign of relent.

“I don’t want any trouble, I’m just saying I think she’s good.”

“I tried, I’m sorry, I’m n-no good at this,” Sole interjected hastily.

The man frowned, turning to Sole now.

“That’s sort of rude, don’t you think?  You should’ve just told me.”

Sole frowned back. “Well I’m t-telling you now.”

Preston noted the faint stutter; that meant on the fear scale of one to ten, they were probably at a six right now.  The last time he’d seen Sole at a six, was probably when she’d met the rest of the Minutemen at the Castle.  Usually it took large crowds to invoke a ‘six’, and yet this man had dialed it up all by himself.  Preston’s stomach soured; how much farther would he push it?

“So, what if I say ‘no’?”

Sole was taken aback.

“I-I’m sorry?”

The man crossed his arms. “Yeah, what if I reject your rejection?”

Sole’s eyebrows furrowed, he couldn’t…do that, could he?

Preston slid off his barstool, his expression a mix of the confusion shared by Sole, and frustration.

“Give it up already.  She’s not interested.”

“Well, I am!”

Preston stepped forward, intending to act as a barrier between the man and Sole.  The man however, took this as an offensive act, rather than a defensive one, and raised his hands to shove roughly at Preston’s shoulders.  Preston found himself being forced back a few steps from the impact.  Sole bounced off of her stool, to jab a finger at the man’s chest.

“Hey-“

The man watched Sole leap forward, and took this as a declaration of war.  He raised a large hand up, and before either Preston or Sole could react, he brought it hard across her face.  Sole froze as the sharp sting shocked her; hurt and rage mingling inside her, rising up.  Hot tears sprang from her eyes, and her lip curled as her cheeks burned with shame.

Preston knew that face; those were tears of rage.  The last time she’d had them, it was confronting Kellogg.  He was half convinced that if he let her have her way, she’d kill the man.  Preston stepped forward, now a protective barrier for the man.  That didn’t mean he’d get off easy though – the other half of Preston thought may he should let her.  His mom had raised him right; ideally he wasn’t to lay a hand on anyone, but especially a lady?  His ears burned slightly at the small, private admission of how he really saw his General – but that could be dealt with later.

Preston wrapped a vise-like grip around the collar of the man’s shirt, and yanked him to the side.

“Like I said, give it up already.”

The bartender watched, but did nothing, as Preston proceeded to drag the fellow to the bar’s entrance, the man in his grip fighting every step of the way.  He staggered under Preston’s strong grip, trying to dig his heels into the worn tile of the floor.

“Man, I’m doing this as much for you, as I am for her.” Preston shot a look back towards Sole.

“If you think I’m tough on you, you don’t even want to know what the General of the Minutemen would do to you.”

The man’s face made a small ‘o’ of horrified realization, as it dawned on him, just who he had slapped.

Preston shook his head, tsking slightly, before pushing the door open with a shoulder, and tossing the man out.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out – at least until you learn how to behave yourself.”

The man’s eyes and mouth were still staring into the establishment, agape in shock, as the door shut, and he was left in the dark.

When Preston returned to the bar, he found Sole hold a cold beer to the side of her face – on the house, courtesy of the bartender.

“You okay, General?”

“’P-Pause’ please.”

Preston smiled slightly; it was another one of their codes.  When he and Sole had grown much closer, they had decided that they needed some way of separating their professional life from their personal.  When they ‘paused’, they were putting their roles as Minutemen in the backseat; they were no longer General and Lieutenant, but Preston and Sole, the non-specificity of their personal relationship slightly less daunting in this more private context.

“Are you okay, Sole?”

Sole sniffled, her eyes streaming.

Preston sighed and stepped over to her.  He stooped over slightly; and tilted her chin up gently with a gloved hand, so that he could better see where she’d been hit.  He lightly tugged the hand with the beer away, and studied the raised area of skin.

“Does it still hurt?”  Preston murmured.

“It’s a little sore.”

Preston shook his head. “That guy was an asshole.  I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I’m just glad you were here.” Sole blinked blearily at him.

Preston flushed; trying to talk himself down from the way he warmed at the sentiment. She’d told him this numerous times; after they helped settlements, after reclaiming the Castle – it was natural for a General to feel loyalty to their men, and vice versa.

“Are we still ‘paused’?”

Preston hated himself for asking.

“W-We are,”  Sole admitted, averting her eyes, as her other cheek reddened to match her swollen one.

“Alright then,” Preston said quietly, moving in to wrap his arms around her, careful not to be too rough.

Sole inhaled deeply; the scent of gunpowder and leather putting her the most at ease she’d been all night.

**Strong** :  Strong grunted as he watched some human argue with Sole.  Disgust bubbled in his gut as Sole shrank back slightly from the human’s advances.  How annoying.  This human wasn’t even so big.  Not so tough.  Strong could easily smash him.

Idly, he wondered if he could.

Sole certainly didn’t seem attached to him – and yet, why didn’t she smash him? There was a baseball bat just a few feet away. Sole could definitely smash him. Not as well as a super mutant. But still pretty good.

Strong studied the scene, trying to see something he may have missed.

The puny human that was not Sole gestured roughly, and Sole made a face.  Maybe this man was not worth her time?  Not worth smashing?  Maybe then Sole would allow him to smash him; in Strong’s eyes, no one was above smashing.

A sharp slap jerked Strong from this tedious train of thought.  He watched Sole shrink back as the puny human struck her.  Weak.  Measly.  Had that puny human tried to smash Sole?  Couldn’t even dignify it by calling it a smash.  Irritation flashed through Strong.

No – wait, this was rage.  It licked at his skin from the inside, fueling his limbs with an itch to exert.

Strong grew tired of waiting.

“Strong…smash.”

Sole turned to look at Strong but said nothing.

The puny human curled his lip, and Strong’s smile quirked upward.

An invitation.  Sole didn’t protest either – excellent.  Strong’s anger curdled sweetly into something else, something that felt much better – bloodlust?

Strong brought a rather large plank of wood down upon the puny human that had struck Sole, and he crumpled to the ground, not moving.

Irritation flashed through Strong again, it had been so easy – so quick, barely gratifying.

Strong frowned, “Stupid puny human! Too weak for Strong to smash properly!”

Sole let out a short laugh. “You’re right.  He was weak and puny.  Let’s go.”

Strong grunted. “Yes, must find milk of human kindness.”

He and Sole continued on, Strong stopped suddenly and turned on his heel. Sole raised a brow and watched as Strong lifted the tiny man by his ankle and dragged him a few feet.

“Puny humans make good tooth picks.”

“Strong. No.”

Strong looked down at the man, trying to think of a way to appeal to Sole’s strange human sensibilities. He pulled off the mans boots and stripped him of his jacket, passing them to Sole.

“Dead no need things. We take,” Strong decided. “Give to less stupid humans.”

Blood  pooled slowly around the exposed corpse.  Barely worth smashing, indeed.

**X6-88** :  X6 sat in a chair against the wall in the lab, watching Sole work as he awaited her next orders.  She was working on a new compound that was supposed to accelerate the healing process in live tissue.  X6 watched the slant of her shoulders, the sharp crook of her neck as she hunched over the microscope; her concentration than any ache in her muscles.  He respected it; like him, she was a machine when she worked.  Unrelenting until she reached the desired outcome.  And yet, she was so raw when she found the outcome; her victories were personal triumphs and her failures, an attack.  X6 had experienced a series of her highs and lows before, the almost tearful joy that accompanied the highs, and the venomous rage that came with the lows.  And he’d loved these too.  Watching her stray from her focused zone had been jarring at first, and endearing much later, when like her, he’d become more human outside of work.

While he had grown more…accustomed to the whims of his human heart, his brain still struggled to process such…fallible tendencies.  When he watched an Institute scientist so low on the food chain, he hadn’t even bothered learning his name, saunter up to Sole, he could pick up his ulterior motives almost immediately.

The wretchedly close way he loomed right behind her, as his eyes ran appreciatively over Sole’s body while she worked; too engrossed with her important research.  Satisfaction curled in X6’s gut; it was basic biology after all.  The lion was too important to pay any mind to the needs of the gazelle.

X6 forced himself to sit obediently.

“So…Director…”  the man began.

Sole never took her eyes from the eyepiece of the microscope.

“What is it?”

“I uh…”

Sole stood upright, blinking unfeelingly at the man. “What did you need?”

Her voice was quiet, and X6 sat quietly, his muscles tight in case he needed her to be her volume.

“Well, the real question is what do you need?”

Sole’s eyebrows furrowed, not quite understanding the veiled innuendo.

“I need more time to finish my research, and peace and quiet to come up with a prototype, so that when the time is right, I can make an appeal for my own lab space.”

“No, I mean, y-you need – you have needs, right?”

Sole’s face was blank.

“Are you…t-talking about….?”

A slimy grin spread across the man’s face. “Indeed, I am.  A woman of your…caliber certain has special…requirements for such needs as well, correct?”

Sole cocked an eyebrow up. “And you think you meet such requirements?”

The man leaned in. “I believe you’d be…impressed, if you were to see my evidence for such a claim.”

Sole made a face, unable to contain her disgust. “I’m not interested.  Take your blatant sexual harassment somewhere else please.” Sole turned away.

The man grabbed Sole by the shoulder, spinning her so that she had to face him.

“Hey, don’t ignore me when I’m talking to you.  I’m the man here; you may be the Director, but I’m the man here.”

Fear flashed briefly across Sole’s face at the boldness of the man’s actions.  X6 tensed, coiled at the ready.  Violent triumph burned him when he watched as Sole struck the man.

“Do n-not touch me!”

Her voice was shrill, but the stutter gave the man the edge he needed.  He raised his hand, and in a fell swoop brought the back of his hand across her face hard.  The impact sent her sprawled to the ground, one hand haphazardly catching her fall at the less second, as the other favored her cheek gingerly.  From X6 was sitting he could tell it was already swelling slightly.

X6 rose to his feet quietly and swiftly, his own fingers moving to wrap around the man’s throat.

“You have officially overstayed your welcome.”

X6’s voice was as smooth as ever, the tightness only detectable by Sole.  Normally, she would’ve called him off; such tension was typically an indicator that X6 would be less inclined towards mercy, but the words would not leave Sole’s throat.  Shame burned her ears, as she dropped her head, letting her hair form a curtain between her, and X6 as he dragged the man out of her private quarters and tossed him out.

“If you enter this vicinity again, I will kill you,”  X6 said, as casually as if he’d told the man that there was a chance it might rain that day.

X6 didn’t see where the man went after, as the doors slid close.  Immediately he turned on his heel, and moved to Sole’s aside, dropping to a knee.

“Are you alright, ma’am?”

X6 reached a hand to carefully tuck the hair that obstructed his view behind her ear.  He studied the wetness that fell from her eyes and watched as a shaky hand fought to keep them at bay.

“…Sole?”  he asked, a little more quietly.

Seldom did he use her name, even though he knew she preferred it.  Even though they had started dating, it was all still so relatively new to him; and he figured, why drop the title?  Sole had tried to explain that it was a sign of intimacy, but X6 begged to differ – if you loved and cherished someone, did you not want to treat them with the utmost respect?

When he used her name, Sole knew it was because he was offering comfort the best way he knew how.  She was grateful for his presence, but she could not meet his eyes.

“Sole, please look at me.”

A hand gently edged her chin up, so that she had to.  Sole swallowed back a sob, blinking wetly at him.

“X6…” she whimpered.

The pad of his thumb stroked along the length of her jaw, and Sole burst into tears at the tender gesture, throwing her arms around him.  X6 stiffened for a moment, still unused to such…closeness, as much as he did enjoy it.  He wrapped his arms tightly around her as she cried into him.

“He will not bother you again, I will make certain of that.”

He felt her shake and tremble into him and buried his nose into the crook of her neck, trying to save this exact moment in his mind; Sole’s distraught sounds, the fragility such shame had dragged from her – he would save this in his mind, and recall it the next time he found that…vermin.  He still didn’t know his name, but he had committed that rat-like face of his to memory, and X6 was an expert hunter.

“I know,” Sole murmured, squeezing him tighter.

X6 sat with her; that man could wait, he had more pressing matters to attend to.


End file.
